I just had a moment where it really sunk in that by the end of this year NMNW will have taught 15,000 girls Self-Defense. FIFTEEN THOUSAND. These aren’t 1 hour classes, or 3 hour classes – we’re talking 12 hour classes with at least 4 hours straight up fighting practice.
We’re doing this because we now have over 30 instructors operating in the 6 largest slums in Nairobi. We started with just two trainers in 2010, then up to 6, then up to 8 – it’s amazing the type of organizing going on behind the scenes to make this type of scale- up happen.
We are currently at 6000 girls. Can I just salute the Ujamaa staff? And the NMN Kenya teams? Can I just take a deep breath here and acknowledge what you are doing – and the fact that alot of it these days is happening in downpours and mud and overcrowded conditions? When I think about the fact that the skills we teach last a lifetime it really seems like a magical offering – something shining through the years. No matter what comes their way we did right by them -gave them everything we’ve got in the way of self protection and empowerment.
We didn’t skimp.We didn’t do what we could. We gave 15,000 school girls a bunch of VERY effective options to use if anyone ever tries to harm them today, tomorrow or a 100 years from now.
I can’t wait to take this stuff around the world!
